Un sirventes novel vueill comensar,
que retrairai al jor del jujamen
a sel que.m fes e.m formet de nien.
S'el me cuja de ren arazonar
e s'el me vol metre en la diablia
ieu li dirai: "Seinher, merce, non sia!
Qu'el mal segle tormentiei totz mos ans.
E guardas mi, si.us plas, dels tormentans."

I want to start a new poem
which I will recite on the day of judgement
to him who created me and formed me from nothingness.
If he wants to ask me to give account of anything
and if he wants to put me among the devils
I will say to him: 'Lord have mercy, don't do such a thing!
For in this evil world I spent my life tormenting myself.
If it please you, then, keep me from tormentors..'  

(Pèire Cardenal, c. 1180 – c. 1278, 'Un sirventese novel vueill comensar..')